


Stress Eating

by emetoandotherthings



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Overindulgence, Sickfic, Stress Eating, Vomiting, emeto, induced vomiting, puke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:21:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22410202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emetoandotherthings/pseuds/emetoandotherthings
Summary: Prompt: Someone stress eating while they pull an all nighter to revise for an exam, and then having a really nervous stomach in the morning which is just exacerbated by the lack of sleep and excess of sugar and caffeineWarning: Includes vomiting
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	Stress Eating

“What do you mean you haven’t started studying yet?” Eden goggled across the table at Eppie, his fork hanging midway between his plate and his mouth. 

“I just haven’t,” Eppie shrugged, taking another bite of her baked potato and not appearing to notice that Eden was going through a minor panic on her behalf. 

“But… but the exam’s tomorrow!” Eden exclaimed, he couldn’t quite believe how calm Eppie was about the whole situation – he’d started revising three weeks ago so he could ensure he’d had enough time to cover all the topics they’d covered. 

“I know – it’ll be fine,” she looked up at him and grinned, Eden had put his fork back down by his plate. “Go on, test me on something.” She offered. 

“What’s the relative atomic mass and density of Dyspronium?” Eden asked, most chemistry questions weren’t the sort you could answer easily. 

“167.3 and 9.07,” Eppie replied firmly. 

“You’re thinking of Erbium, Dysprosium is 162.5 and 8.55.” Eden said. 

“Oh… I was sure I had them memorised,” Eppie frowned. “Maybe I’ll go over my notes after dinner.” 

“I’m going to do flash card drills once I’m finished my dinner, you can join me if you like.” Eden picked up his fork again. 

“No, it’s okay,” Eppie shook her head. “I’ll just read over my notes, I’m sure it won’t take me too long.” She’d suddenly lost her appetite as she tried to think over the topics they’d covered, now her mind seemed to be entirely empty, and her heart felt like it was speeding up in her chest. “In fact, I think I’ll go and do that now.” She pushed her chair away from the table, picking up her half finished plate. 

“Wait, Eppie! You should finish your dinner first,” Eden insisted, but she shook her head.

She left the hall canteen and headed back to her room; she couldn’t even think of a valid reason as to why she hadn’t started revising weeks ago. Every time she’d sat with her notes she’d found something more interesting to do… But now she only had fourteen hours until she would be sitting the exam and she still had to go over everything. 

The first thing Eppie did when she reached her room was put on the little kettle she’d bought for herself when she moved into halls, it was big enough for roughly two and a half cups of tea or coffee – and right now she definitely needed coffee. While she waited for it to boil she scrabbled around in the massive pile of paper and handwritten notes next to her desk, damning that she didn’t have a better kind of filing system – or even any kind of filing system. Maybe she should have taken Eden up on his offer of doing flash card drills with him, at least he seemed organised, but then she’d probably end up more stressed by how much he knew, and how much she didn’t.

The kettle clicked and she poured herself a cup of strong coffee, she’d managed to separate her coordination chemistry from her notes on reactivity and mechanism. She sat at her desk, absent mindedly dumping another pile of paper onto the floor at the other side of her. 

By the time she finished reading the introduction to their topic and what they should need to know for the exam, her mind was slipping out of focus. She needed some kind of reward system, something that would keep her interested in the sometimes jumbled sentences that had apparently constituted sense to her brain at the time of writing. 

Abandoning her desk she pulled out a box from underneath her bed, inside it she kept all of her food that she didn’t want to get stolen from the pantry – chocolate, crisps, and any kind of sweet treats that weren’t required to be in the fridge or freezer were kept in this box. She picked up one of the chocolate bars and trying to determine how many pieces of chocolate she could have for finishing a topic… Then she thought that it might be better if she got a square of chocolate for each page that she read and understood – memorising the formulae and any other chemical information that she needed. She sat back down at her desk, clocking that it was already twenty-five past eight and she’d barely made a dent in what she needed to look over. 

Eppie was a quick reader, but there were points when deciphering her own handwriting was difficult – and sometimes she deemed it necessary to reward herself with a square of chocolate when she understood a particularly complex formula. 

By five past nine she was down to her last row of chocolate squares, she’d taken a break to refill her coffee mug and was waiting for the kettle to boil. She lifted up the box full of goodies onto her bed and selected her next chocolate reward when she finished the bar she was currently using. She ran her hands through her hair; she had planned to have a shower tonight so she would be able to have a few extra minutes for sleep in the morning, but now she was thinking she should leave it till the morning and keep trying to cram study. She’d been saving the chocolate bar with the embedded oreos for an emergency, but this was kind of an emergency – or that was what she was trying to tell herself as she laid it on her desk and poured another cup of coffee. 

Her fingers trembled as she turned over a sheet of rather cryptic notes and her head was beginning to pound as she reached the end of her fifth cup of coffee. The three empty chocolate wrappers rustled as she laid down her cup. She was nearly finished this topic, and she’d already decided that once she was finishing it she was going to get some fresh air that seemed to be crowding in her brain, then she’d be able to start on her next topic. She sighed, hanging her head momentarily; she was beginning to flag and feel exhausted even though she had enough caffeine flowing through her to power a small town. Her hand reached out automatically and she popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth as her eyes reached the end of that page – finally finishing that topic. 

She stood up from the desk, stretching, before gathering all her loose papers and put them back down onto the floor on her “finished reading” pile. As she bent down she felt a rush of liquid in her throat, and a mouthful of bitter, chocolately liquid flooded her mouth. She straigtened up quickly, swallowing before taking a deep breath, she was a bit shaky – probably needed to lay off the coffee and chocolate from now on, and it would be a good idea to get some fresh air. She shoved on a pair of shoes, grabbed her phone and room key before heading out of the halls.

It was only when she was standing outside in the cold dark air that she realised how bad she felt. She sighed, leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes as wave after wave of tiredness washed over her, she really needed to get some sleep but she still had half a dozen more topics to go over. Being outside was helping clear her head though, rapidly making the decision to not have any more coffee or chocolate when she went back inside as her stomach was beginning to feel unsettled. Her hands were shaking so badly that she struggled to enter the pincode for her phone, and only then did she notice it was ten to one in the morning. 

She headed back to her room, rubbing her hand across her face, trying to figure out how she could keep herself awake and concentrating without coffee or chocolate – but the thought of something else sweet joining what was already a bubbly unsettled stomach made her swallow hard. Maybe if she read quickly enough she could get to sleep by half one and she’d get exactly seven hours sleep. She spread the notes for the next topic across the top of her desk and began to read, resting her elbows on the edge of the table and her head into her hands. Her eyes had scanned halfway down the first page when she heard an unpleasant gurgling sound, and realised that it was coming from her stomach. It sounded like her inside were having a hard time digesting all that sugar and caffeine she’d shoved into them. 

“Ooh…” She pressed her hand to her abdomen, feeling an unusual ripple underneath the skin and an odd sensation at the back of her throat. She took a sip of water that she’d filled with water rather than coffee, hoping that might remove some of the effects of her reward system. Focusing her eyes back onto her notes she began to read again, even though she was feeling worse than ever. 

“Eppie? Are you in there, Eppie?” She could hear her name being called accompanied by a loud banging. She opened her eyes, feeling incredibly groggy and realising that her face was pressed against her desk; she sat up very quickly, her neck and back stiff and painful. She must have fallen asleep at her desk! She looked down at her notes, noticing the small circle of drool where her mouth had been, she glanced around at the mess of her room, then she heard Eden’s voice again. “Eppie?”

“Eden?” She realised that he was outside her door, and she shoved back her chair to open it for him.

It hit her when she stood up, her stomach gurgled loudly and felt like thickly bubbling porridge was filling it. The uncomfortable heaviness seemed to weigh her down and make every footstep hard. She pulled open the door to see Eden standing looking slightly concerned. 

“Eppie!” He called in relief, then glanced her up and down. “Are you okay?” She realised she must look dreadful, dishevelled and tired. “You didn’t turn up at breakfast so I thought I’d come check on you…” He said, she’d stepped back to allow him entry; his mention of food made her stomach react, gurgling and whining loud enough for Eden to hear.

“Oh sorry,” she muttered, feeling embarrassed, pressing her hand to her stomach. “I guess I fell asleep when I was studying, I’ll have to get ready.” Eden checked his watch. 

“You’re alright, you’ve got a bit of time before we need to leave,” Eden reassured her, they’d already agreed to walk to their exam together. “Do you want me to bring you something from breakfast?” He asked, Eppie felt a kind of ‘ _bloop_ ’ sensation in her belly and she shook her head. “Okay, I’ll see you at the front door in about half an hour.”

“Yeah, okay,” she said as he left to get ready. Eppie sunk down on the edge of her bed, putting her head in her hands; she felt _awful_. Her stomach wasn’t quite painful but it was certainly unsettled, gurgling unpleasantly.

She didn’t have time to have a shower, but she just about had time to freshen up while she got changed. She ran her tap until warm water filled the basin and then used her flannel to wash her face, clearing yesterday’s makeup and revealing her pale, waxy skin with dark circles under her eyes. No wonder Eden had asked if she was alright, she looked dreadful. She flicked the switch on her kettle, turning it on, even though she wasn’t sure adding any more caffeine into her system was a good idea when her stomach already felt like it was rocking back and forth like the swaying of a ship. She let it boil, however, as she began to reapply her make up, her skin not losing the ill sheen even once covered by a layer of foundation. She leant heavily on the edges of the sink, staring down at the water in the basin – she felt sick. 

She made herself keep moving by repeating over and over that all she had to do was two hours work and then she could come back and sleep. The walk to the science block would probably help clear her head and make her feel loads better – or that was what Eppie was really banking on as she left her room with her bag to meet Eden. Her stomach felt heavy inside her – she just needed some relief from the discomfort. 

“Ready for this?” Eden asked, holding the hall door open for her.

“As I’ll ever be…” Eppie mumbled, feeling somewhat like she was walking to her doom. As they left the hall grounds Eppie’s stomach let out a high pitched whine and Eden glanced across at her, looking nervous.

“Are you feeling alright?” He said, nothing that her hand was pressing into her abdomen. 

“I – uh….” Eppie wasn’t sure whether to lie, but then she couldn’t be bothered with the pretence. “I feel a bit sick…”

“Oh dear, do you think you’re coming down with something?” He sounded concerned. “Are you going to manage the exam?”

“I have to manage, don’t I?” She shrugged her shoulders, her stomach was beginning to hurt now and she was breathing deeply through her nose. “I think it’s my own fault, I had quite a bit of coffee and chocolate when I was studying last night and my stomach’s letting me know about it now.”

“Have you got water with you?” Eden said, Eppie nodded.

She’d been hoping that the fresh air and the walk to the science block would make her feel better, but to the contrary she was now feeling worse. Her stomach was churning inside her and she felt overly hot, like all her clothes were clinging to her. 

“You are really quite pale… perhaps you should ask if you could do the exam another time?”

“No, I think I just need to get it over-” Eppie started to reply, but her stomach lurched inside her and she came to a sudden halt in the middle of the pavement, clutching at her middle. 

“Eppie?” Eden had stopped too; her stomach still jerking and flipping inside her. 

“I think I-” She paused as her stomach lurched again and she felt like her stomach had jumped into her throat. “I’m gonna have to be sick.” The pressure in her belly, stretching deep into her abdomen, was getting worse and the only way she could even consider getting rid of it was by forcing the cause of it out. “You go on, I’ll maybe catch you up if I’m feeling alright.”

“What are you going to do?” Eden asked, as she started to walk along next to the wall, knowing there was an alleyway roughly ten feet in front of her and that was where she was heading. 

“Trust me, you don’t want to know,” Eppie replied, “I’ll see you at the exam.” The churning glugging was more than an inconvenience now, the discomfort was rising as she rounded the corner into the silent alleyway, if anyone passed they’d probably assume she was drunk. She placed her bag onto the ground, taking a few steps away so that if she succeeded in making herself sick she wouldn’t get it on her bag. 

She hated this. Her heart was pounding at the knowledge of what she had to do; she braced herself, bending forwards and taking a deep breath before ramming two of her fingers down her throat. Her throat tensed as she retracted her fingers quickly, coughing at the ground as her stomach began to revolt at her attempting a manual eject. Now she was committed, forcing her fingers back into her mouth. 

“ _Huu – Baaaaaaarrrruuuuuuuurrrp_!” The belch broke free from her as she’d pulled out her fingers, she could taste a bitterness, like old coffee, at the back of her mouth. Her whole body heaved, and she could feel her shoulders pitching like the beginning of a retch; her hair had fallen over her shoulder, into the line of her face but she was convulsing so fiercely that she couldn’t flick it back. 

“Oh Jesus Eppie.” From behind her she felt Eden’s hand placed gently on her back, then he pulled her hair away from her face. “Are you sure this is the right thing to do?”

“No – _huulp_!” She heaved again, a burning sensation in her chest intensifying and making her feel worse. “But there’s nothing else – _urp_ – I can do…” With his free hand he rubbed her back reassuringly, feeling her muscles tense. 

“Do what you have to then.” Eden told her firmly; she put her fingers back into her mouth and almost instantly another deep burp bubbled up. 

“ _BaaahuuuuuUUURRP_!” As she reached the end of that belch, she pressed her other hand into her stomach and that was what did it – a small splash of liquid hit the ground at her feet. Her mouth instantly refilled with warm, bitter sick and she allowed it to cascade from her lips, splattering in a puddle of thick brown vomit on the ground. Every pitching of her shoulders brought another mouthful of puke which added to the growing pool on the ground, which had begun to run along the ground at her feet. 

“God Eppie,” Eden murmured as another belch began a retch which brought up a further wave of sick. Her stomach was still convulsing, now she just had to wait until the puking stopped. The unbearable pressure in her belly had lifted as it emptied, she tried to straighten up, still heaving slightly but aware that the emptiness in her stomach heralded the end of the vomiting. 

“Well that was – _hic_ – disgusting…” She started as she caught her breath, wiping her mouth and stepping back away from the puddle of sick which was recognisably coffee and chocolate. “Thanks for holding my hair, you didn’t have to.”

“I – well, you looked like you needed a hand,” Eden looked awkward. “How do you feel now?”

“Much, _much_ better.” Eppie nodded, with a weak smile on her face, running her hand across her stomach again, noticing that it felt instantly settled now it was empty. “I think it’s time to go and sit an exam!” 


End file.
